Floatable hoisting apparatus



Jan. 11, 1966 E. N. RosENBL-:RG 3,228,371

FLOATABLE HOSTING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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FLOATABLE HOISTING APPARATUS Filed May 28. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q2 MMM.

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BLE HO NG APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,228,371 FLUATABLE HSISTNG APPARATUS Edgar N. Rosenberg, 6914 Mission Gorge Road, San Diego, Calif. Filed May 28, 1964, Ser. No. 371,149 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-51) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor,

The present invention is related to hoists or elevators and, in particular, to apparatus for hoisting heavy objects, such as sunken submarine hulls, from an ocean iloor to the surface.

Although the invention will be found to have a number of uses, its primary application, as presently considered, is that of salvaging sunken submarine hulls or other similar heavy objects from deep ocean depths. As is well known, this salvage problem has been a continuing one which, as far as is presently known, has found no satisfactory solution. Considerable effort has been expended and a variety of proposals have been made. However, for one reason or another these proposals have been found impractical.

Factors which must be taken into consideration in arriving at a satisfactory solution involve the weight of the load to be lifted which may be as much as 6,000 tons and the depth at which the load is located which may, for example, be 15,000 feet. One recurring proposal contemplates pumping or otherwise evacuating the interior of the submarine hull so as to materially lighten the load and produce a buoyancy. However, if the depth is substantial, evacuation poses a problem because of extremely high external Water pressurel as well as the obvious difficulties in maintaining a watertight condition for the pumping. Another consideration is that the rate of rise would be uncontrolled since it is responsive entirely to the buoyancy factor. Other difficulties common to all salvage operations involve the problems of divers or diving mechanisms working at great depths to prepare the load for its lift.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide hoisting apparatus for salvage operations and the like, the apparatus being capable of hoisting a waterlled submarine hull at a controlled rate from depths substantially exceeding the depths at which divers customarily can operate.

A related object is to provide a oatable hoisting apparatus capable of being moved to the salvage location, the apparatus, therefore, being seaworthy and re-usable as the occasion demands.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which can be secured with relative ease to a sunken hull to then physically hoist the hull to the surface.

Another object related to the last object is to provide an arrangement which not only is capable of hoisting the extreme weight but also of supporting the weight after it has been hoisted and of towing it to port.

Still another object is to provide a oatable hoisting apparatus having a power lift, the apparatus being powered by a selfcontained system.

Another quite important object, which will become more apparent in the ensuing description, is to provide a control both of the lifting force throughout the entire lifting movement and the speed of the lift.

Other objects and their attendant advantages will become more apparent in the detailed description which is to follow.

Essentially, the objects of the invention are achieved by providing an extremely large water-wheel in the form of a oatable cylinder which may, for example, have a rice diameter of approximately feet and a length of 300 feet. Preferably, the interior of the cylinder is partitioned into pie-shaped compartments and duid means are provided to ll and evacuate the compartments in a selected order capable of producing a rotational torque. A hoist line, which is in the form of a strong cable, is wound circumferentially about the exterior surface of the cylinder so that, as the torque produces cylinder rotation, the line either unreels or winds. Also, the line is heavily weighted, preferably with a strongback, and the filling and evacuation of the compartments is so arranged as to cause the weight of the strongbacl: to produce an unreeling of the line. The strongback, or other suitable grappling means, is secured to the submarine hull after the line has been unreeled sulliciently to reach this depth. Hoisting is achieved by pump pressure which also lls selected compartments to produce the necessary rotation. The ability of the apparatus to carry extreme lengths of cable due to its unusually large diameter is considered a distinct advantage. Also the control of the lifting force, as well as the speed of lift is another significant feature achieved by a controlled transfer of fluid from one of the cylinder compartments to another.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. l is a side view of the iloatable cylinder of the invention, the left-hand portion of the view being sectioned to show interior components;

FlGS. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse sections along lines lI-Il, III-lll and IV-1V of FIG. l;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are schematic transverse sections of the cylinder illustrating various modes of operation; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a modified manner of practicing the invention.

Referring to FIG. l, it will be noted that the principal component of the present invention is an extremely large cylinder 1, the dimensions of which, by way of example, might be in the order of 150 feet in diameter and 300 feet long. Larger or smaller cylinders may be employed depending principally upon the nature of the job, i.e. the weight of the load to be lifted and the depth from which it is to be lifted. A cylinder of the size indicated could be suitable for lifting loads up to 6,000 tons or even greater from depths of about 15,000 feet.

Referring again to FIG. 1, cylinder 1 is shown as lloating in a body of water having a water line 2 which, of course, would vary depending upon the weight of the interior components and the ballast. As is apparent, it is most desirable that the cylinder be watertight.

One important feature of the invention is the fact that the exterior surface of the cylinder is formed with grooves 3, provided on spaced-apart sections of the cylinder, cable 4 being wound in these grooves. Preferably, as shown, there are two separate pairs of cables and the free ends of each pair dependently support a strongback 6 which is the actual grappling means for securing the lines to the sunken object. The manner in which the object is 'secured is not a part of the present invention, although it is anticipated that, if the object is a submarine, the submarine can be formed with special cleats serving as points of attachment. Alternatively a steel net arrangement could be employed. Also, if the submarine to be salvaged is located at an extreme depth, it may be necessary to utilize some deep diving bell, such as a bathescaphe, to descend to the location of the submarine. Such bathescaphes are equipped with externally projecting, articulated arms which then can be employed to make the actual attachment.

Cylinder 1 is partitioned to provide a pair of sump chambers 7 and a plurality of radially spaced, watertight compartments 8, the latter being best shown in FIG. 3. Since each of the chambers 7 is identical, and also since the compartments on either side of each chamber are alike, subsequent description can be limited to only one of the chambers along with its adjacent compartments. A large tunnel-like tube 9 projects axially through cylinder 1, although, as apparent in FIG. l, the tunnel is interrupted by the interposition of the sump chambers. Concentrically Within tube 9 is a hollow shaft 11 which for purposes that will be described, is a relatively stationary, non-rotatable member providing a relatively stationary axis about which `the cylinder, along with its sump chambers and compartments rotate.

More specifically, it will be noted that each sump chamber 7 formed of axially-spaced partition walls 12 and 13, these Walls Vterminating short of the axial center of the cylinder and the space between the end portions and shaft 11 being closed by watertight bulkheads 14 and which, preferably are removable for damage control purposes. As seen in FIG. l, shaft 11 is journaled at its outer end medially in removable bulkhead 14. The inner end of the yshaft extends axially through sump chamber 7 and is supported in a hub 17 which will be further identied. It will be appreciated that the right hand end of the cylinder also mounts a second shaft similar in all respects to the shaft already described. The purpose of the mounting is, as mentioned, to permit the cylinder and the partition Walls to rotate about the shaft.

Compartments 8, as best shown in FIG. 4, are formed of partition walls 18 extending radially outwardly from the exterior surface of tube wall 9 and terminating at the interior surface of the cylinder wall to form a plurality of pie-shaped segments or chambers. Hollow shaft 11 is employed to mount the fluid power units needed to transfer water from compartment to compartment for the purpose of producing the rotational torque by means of which the cable can be reeled in. Since shaft 11 does not rotate, it is capable of supporting the power units in a xed position. The units, in turn, include conventional diesel electric components 20, as well as driven motors 19 and pumps Z1. Although shown in pairs, the duplication primary is a fail-safe arrangement. As a convenient servicing and maintenance arrangement, diesel electric components are disposed in the water-free space provided by tube 9 and access to these units is permitted through a door 22 leading into the hollow interior shaft 11. Also, shaft 11 projects outwardly through each end wall of the cylinder and its exterior portion projects upwardly well above the cylinders water line. Consequently, maintenance operators can decend through the shaft and out through door 22 to service the power units. It also will be noted that a deckhouse 23 is carried at the upper end of the shaft and, if desired, this deckhouse may include an instrument panel for remotely controlling the valves and other mechanisms as yet to be described. The vertical extension of shaft 11 also may include a diesel exhaust 24.

Motors 19 and pumps 21 are mounted in sump chambers 7, the pumps being supported on a platform 26 bolted to the shaft and the pumps delivering their power to the motors through drive shafts 27. Hydraulic pumps 21 incorporate conventional foot valves 28 and, of course, it will be necessary to keep the pumps immersed within the sump water. For this reason the pumps are carried on relatively stationary shaft 11 to remain in a fixed vertical position as the sump rotates.

To induce rotation oft he cylinder it is necessary to provide water distribution manifolds and appropriate valving, all for the purpose of permitting a transfer of the uid or water from one chamber to another to develop the rotational torque. As shown in FIG. 1, the water manifold system includes a pair of conduits 31 each extending from motor 21 into fluid communication with the hollow interior with shaft 11. Interiorly of shaft 11, is a small watertight bulkhead 32 producing uid flow outwardly through previously-mentioned hub portion 17 and into a radially-extending manifold section 33 of which hub 17 is a part. Manifold 33, in turn, communicates with a peripheral manifold section 34 and with -a return section 36. Sections 33 and 36 extend radially through diametrically-opposed compartments, while sections 34 extend through the outer portions of the sump.

To conduct the water into the compartments, the arrangement uses a pair -of side-by-side circular distribution manifolds 35 and 37, manifold 35 communicating directly with radial sections 33 and 36 and manifold 37 being an entirely separate distribution line, although, physically carried by manifold 35.

The valve arrangement includes a plurality of spaced valves 38 (FIG. 3) communicating distribution manifold 35 with each compartment. It might be noted at this point that each compartment 8 is separately identified by letters A-H. Continuing with the valve arrangement, it also is to be noted that the other distribution line 37 also is communicated with each compartment by values 39 (FdG. 4). Also, each compartment has, on its peripheral portions, a pair of radially-spaced valves 41 and 42 carried by sump partition walls 12 and 13 to permit flow from the compartments directly into the sump.

Other features of the invention best can be understood by considering the intended operation. First, of course, it is necessary to transport the apparat-us to the salvage location and this may be accomplished by towing after Iirst pumping water into selected compartments to provide proper ballast. Ballast discharge Valves 44 can be used for this purpose.

FIG. 8 represents such a light-loaded condition suitable for towing and it also will be noted in FIG. 8, as well as other figures, that the water line level 2 is indicated. These water levels have been determined by analyzing a particular cylinder having `a particular weight and buoyancy determined by the components which have been described. The dimensions of the particular cylinder analyzed were 60 feet in diameter and 178 feet in length. Such dimensions prove suitable for lifting a G-ton load. Obviously, if the load is greater the dimensions can be increased to the extent previously mentioned.

The initial job, after arrival at the salvage scene, is to lower the strongback to permit its being secured to the load. First, however, it is preferable to admit more water to cause the cylinder to ride lower in the sea to minimize the effect of waves on its rotation. Ballast intake valves 45 (FIG. 3) may be used for this purpose.

Lowering of the strongback is accomplished by a gravity flow of water from one tank to another rather than by .any pumping action. Thus, with a balanced distribution of water in the cylinder, the weight of strongback 6 is sucient to produce an unreeling rotation permitting the strongback to be lowered. The pumps can be used, if needed, to initially unbalance the water distribution in an unreeling rotational direction.

As the cylinder rotates, water flows from one compartment to another to continue the rotation. Thus, by way of example, as the cylinder rotates, valve 42 0f compartment C is opened to permit its contents to drain into the sump. Concurrently, valve 39 of compartment G is opened to permit the water in G to drain through distribution manifold 37 into compartment C through valve 39 of C which also is opened. As the strongback produces further rotation, the valves of compartments G and C are closed and similar valves of compartments A and B open to permit a gravity ow from- A to B and from B to sump. In this mode of operation, valves 42 of the compartments being evacuated are open to provide vents. Also, distribution line 37 is vented by a vent line and valve arrangement 46.

Control of the valves can be in any desired manner. As shown, a solenoid-controlled operation is contemplated, this fact being indicated schematically by the electric leads for each valve. However, insofar as the invention is concerned, the control may be manual or it may be achieved hydraulically or through a mechanical cam arrangement. Since rotation of the cylinder in either direction requires a certain sequence of opening and closing, a control system presents no diliiculty.

With the strongback attached to the load, it is necessary to reverse the rotational direction of the cylinder to produce the hoisting action. Positive force, of course, is required and the force is derived by pumping water into selected compartments to produce a rotational torque. First, however, the cylinder contents are unbalanced as shown in FIGS. 6 or 7, this condition being achieved by opening valves 41 or 42 to drain a compartment to tank (sump) and by operating the pump to lill, for example, compartment G. The FIG. 6 ballast might be appropriate for a light load, such as 500 tons, while that of FIG. 7 would provide the torque needed for a 100G-ton lift.

Considering a lifting rotation as applied to FIG. 3, water transfer is accomplished by opening valve 42 of compartment C permitting its contents to drain into the sump. Concurrently, valve 38 of compartment G is opened and the pumps driven to iill G With water delivered through distribution line 35. Valve 42 of compartment G may be opened at this time to provide a vent.

As the winch slowly rotates to bring compartment D into the position previously occupied by C, valve 42 of D is opened to sump and valve 3S of compartment H opened to permit the pump to forcefully fill H. Obviously, continuation of the hoisting rotation can be continued by selectively opening and closing the compartment valves to transfer the water needed to maintain the water-wheel torque action.

The overall arrangement is therefore one which permits complete control of water transfer, as well as ballast ll, to achieve any ballasted condition which may be desired, the ballast then determining direction of rotation which may be continued due either to the downward pull of the strongback or the applied force of the pumps. For a smaller unit, such as the 1000 ton lift just described, the pumps should provide a flow of about 6100 gallons per minute and have a capacity of about 10D-150 hp. per pump. To resist the hoop tension of the cable, the shell of the cylinder may be formed of HY-80 steel 21/2 inches thick. A suitable cable is a wire rope of a 60G-foot length and of about 4%. inches with a breaking strength of about 840 tons. Such a wire rope has a weight of approximately 7.73 pounds per foot and, of course, this weight must be added to the cylinder weight in computing torque requirements and Water levels.

A number of requirements can be added as desired. One possibility is the use of pressure transducers in each compartment and in the sump to indicate the water contents. The main control panel also may have a transparent model as a means for providing visual indication based upon information derived from the transducer.

Although, as indicated, the lifting force can be increased by measuring the dimensions of the cylinder, it also is possible to double the force by using two cylinders in the manner shown in FIG. 9.

The advantages of the apparatus are readily apparent. It is or may be an entirely self-contained unit capable of being towed to the scene and also capable of supporting a limited load on its cables back to port. Having an unusually large diameter, it supports ample cable to reach to great depths. Also, as the need for greater force increases, so does the diameter and the consequent cablecarrying capacity.

The ability to control the speed of lowering and lifting is another important factor which is present both by the nature of the water transfer and also, if desired, by using dow-control valves to vary the rate of transfer. Both lowering and lifting can be at a speed of about two feet per minute.

It also should be understood that the apparatus is readily adaptable for many uses other than that of hoisting during salvage or other operations. For example, it could serve as an amphibious supply craft by securing the cable ends on shore and then rotating the cylinder to wind-up the cable and move the apparatus onto the beach. Further, the size of the cylinder can be widely varied according to the intended use.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. Floatable hoisting apparatus comprising;

an elongated hollow watertight cylinder,

Wall partitioning the cylinder interiorly into a plurality of radially-adjacent watertight compartments,

a weighted hoist line means wound circumferentially about the exterior surface of the cylinder,

a fluid sump means,

fluid pressure supply means for selectively delivering sump liuid to each of said compartments, and

sump drain means communicating each compartment with said sump means,

said iiuid pressure supply means and said sump-connected drain means permitting simultaneous evacuation and lling of selected compartments for producing a reeling-in rotational movement of said cylinder.

2. Floatable hoisting apparatus comprising:

an elongate hollow watertight cylinder,

wall partitioning the cylinder interiorly into a plurality of radially-adjacent watertight compartments,

a weighted hoist line means wound circumferentially about the exterior surface of the cylinder,

a fluid sump means,

fluid pressure supply means for selectively delivering sump fluid to each of said compartments,

sump drain means communicating each compartment with said sump means, and

hoist pay-out drain means selectively communicating each compartment with another compartment,

said hoisting line weight being suflicient to initiate an unreeling rotation of said cylinder when a limited number of said compartments are filled with fluid whereupon said pay-out drain means permits a transfer of iiuid between compartments for continuing said rotation and unreeling said hoist line,

said iluid pressure supply means and said sump-connected drain means permitting simultaneous evacuation and filling of selected compartments for producing a reeling-in rotational movement of said cylinder.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said sump means is formed of a pair of sump chambers spaced axially of the cylinder,

said radially-adjacent compartments are formed as wedge-shaped chambers disposed adjacent each sump on each side thereof, and

said fluid pressure supply means including a hydraulic pump and a motor mounted in each sump chamber.

4. Floatable hoisting apparatus comprising:

an elongate hollow watertight cylinder,

transverse Walls formed in said cylinder,

a pair of watertight sump chambers spaced axially and extending transversely the full width of said cylinder,

walls partioning the cylinder with a plurality of radiallyadjacent compartments disposed adjacent to and on each side of each sump,

a pair of hollow shaft means each journaled in opposite ends of the cylinder and extending axially of the cylinder inwardly one through each sump,

said shaft means each also having its inner portion journaled in said sump transverse walls whereby said cylinder is freely rotatable relative to said shaft means,

a pair of fluid pressure conduits each carried by said relatively-stationary shaft means and extending radially outwardly thereof into proximity with the inner periphery of each sump chamber,

a pump rigidly carried by each of said conduits in uid communication therewith,

said conduits further being in fluid communication with said hollow shafts,

a distribution manifold system in iluid communication with each shaft and rotatably carried by said cylinder,

valve means selectively communicating each radial compartment with said manifold system,

other valve means selectively communicating each compartment With said sump chamber,

said manifold system being arranged to deliver pumppressured uid to each of said compartments and to drain fluid from each compartment into another compartment, and

a weighted hoist line means wound circumferentially about the exterior surface of said cylinder,

the weight of said line being sufficiently normally to initiate a line-unreeling rotation of said cylinder whereupon said manifold system permits a transfer drainage flow from one compartment to another for continuing said rotation and unreeling said hoist line, and

said pump and said other valve means permitting simultaneous filling and evacuation of selected compartments for producing a reeling-in rotational movement of said cylinder.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further including a tube disposed externally of and concentric to said shaft means,

said tube forming the radially-inward wall of each of said compartments, and

pump power generating means carried by said relatively-stationary shaft in the space provided by said tube.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said other valve means includes a pair of circumferentially-spaced valves disposed near the outer periphery of each compartment,

both of said valves of each compartment communicating the compartment with said pump for providing drainage transfer during opposite rotational movements of the cylinder and also for providing vents for each compartment.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the exterior surface of said cylinder is provided with hoist line receiving grooves,

said hoist line means including: a plurality of separate lines each wound in said grooves, and

MiLToN BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. FLOATABLE HOISTING APPARATUS COMPRISING; AN ELONGATED HOLLOW WATERTIGHT CYLINDER, WALL PARTITIONARY THE CYLINDER INTERIORLY INTO A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY-ADJACENT WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS, A WEIGHTED HOIST LINE MEANS WOUND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE CYLINDER, A FLUID SUMP MEANS, FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLY MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DELIVERING SUMP FLUID TO EACH OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, AND SUMP DRAIN MEANS COMMUNICATING EACH COMPARTMENT WITH SAID SUMP MEANS, SAID FLUID PRESSURE SUPPLY MEANS AND SAID SUMP-CONNECTED DRAIN MEANS PERMITTING SIMULTANEOUS EVACUA- 